Five Ways to Calm the Clutter

Streamlining your effects makes for a more effective move, every time. To get you on the path to mediating the mish mash, we’ve put together five ways to calm the clutter.

1. Clutter checklist

Over a lifetime, we collect things – lots of things, including a suitcase surplus and a multitude of magazines. Before you start packing, work out exactly what you want and need to bring with you. Make a list of the contents of each room so you can see your inventory in black and white and keep track of just how many rulers you’ve stockpiled.

2. Discard decree

Deciding what to keep means you need to become a tough task master. A ruthless rule of thumb is to think about whether you’ve used it or worn it in the past 12 months (goodbye year 12 formal dress).

“Sentimental items are harder to negotiate so don’t feel pressured to use this blanket rule with your more precious possessions.”

3. Crammed corners

Every home has a miscellaneous ‘stuff and things’ draw so dedicate some extra time to streamlining these problem places. When you’re packing your pantry, make sure you check the expiry dates on your colossal collection of cans.

“The common clutter culprits tend to be the hallway stand, garage, laundry and bathroom cupboard.”

4. Piles of paper

If your bookshelves are starting to look like the national archives, it’s time to start sorting. This is a great opportunity to offload six of your seven editions of the Women’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book.

“Remember – if you’ve already read it, it’s time to go. If you’re sentimentally attached to something, consider scanning or snapping it with your smartphone.”

5. The move for good

There aren’t many times in life when we take stock of everything we own. Instead of throwing out functional items, we want to see them go where they’re needed most. Grace Removals have established a partnership with the St. Vincent de Paul Society. We gratefully pickup items in your ‘go to a new home’ pile and donate them to our ‘move house, make a difference’ initiative.